Silk Manufacture. 45 



be produced in Virginia, as in a very short time would 

 sufficiently supply all Christendom. 



'The misfortunes soon after this time experienced by the 

 colony of Virginia, and which involved the dissolution of the 

 company, materially checked the execution of this project. 

 A considerable number of mulberry trees were planted, and 

 flourished ; but little silk was produced. 



' In the year 1654, the rearing of silk worms again became 

 a subject of interest in Virginia. This revival was principally 

 owing to the exertions of Mr. Edward Diggs, who confidently 

 asserted that he had conquered all the main difficulties at- 

 tending the experiment. He endeavored to persuade the 

 Virginians that in a short time a great quantity of silk might 

 be very profitably obtained ; but it does not appear that the 

 production was ever carried to any extent in that colony. 

 It is probable that the planters found a source of greater 

 profit in the growth of tobacco, for which they met with a 

 ready market both in the mother country and the north of 

 Europe. 



'A renewed attempt to produce silk in England appears 

 to have been made in the year 1629. This maybe inferred 

 from a grant having lhen been made to Walter Aston, of 

 the custody of the garden, mulberry trees, and silk worms, 

 near St. James's, in the county of Middlesex; although this 

 may possibly have been a continuation of king James's pro- 

 ject of the year 1608. The scheme was once again revived 

 in 1718; a patent having at that time been granted to John 

 Appleton, Esq. for producing raw silk of the growth of 

 England. To accomplish this undertaking, he was author- 

 ised to raise a fund by joint stock subscription. This he 

 accomplished, dividing the capital into shares of five pounds 

 each. A deed of trust was executed, and enrolled in the 

 court of chancery; directors for managing the concerns of 

 the company were chosen by the subscribers, and Chelsea 

 park, being conveniently situated, and possessing a soil fa- 

 vorable for the purpose, was fixed upon as the spot on which 

 the operations should be conducted. A lease of this place 

 for 122 years was obtained, and 2000 mulberry trees were 

 soon actually planted; this forming but a small part, how- 

 ever, of the vast quantity which the company contemplated 

 raising. Many large edifices were erected at a great expense 

 upon the spot, the remains of which are at present scarcely 

 discernible. Mr. Henry Barham, who probably was a mem- 

 ber of this company, published at this time an essay on 

 the silk worm, wherein he labored to prove that all objections 



